


1913

by vsnow



Series: Bargains over Tea Verse [5]
Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies)
Genre: Basically how the skull hookah came to be, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Visions, War
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-24
Updated: 2019-07-24
Packaged: 2020-07-18 01:00:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,100
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19966123
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vsnow/pseuds/vsnow
Summary: The pair had been working together for a few years now. Vinda had had the honor of watching as Grindelwald’s following grew ever so slowly. Any doubt she may have had leaving her family behind now seemed foolish, not that they had come looking for her when she had never returned home, a fact she was glad of.





	1913

Vinda looked out onto the street, she had been waiting patiently for-

“What took you so long to catch up?” She asked the man when he finally came into view, “You could be my father at such a pace.”

She was one of very few, perhaps the only one close to him now who could speak to him like this, “I am not so old, but…”

Vinda tilted her head in wait, “Yes?” Having a vague understanding where his words would lead.

“I suppose to a _child_ I would appear older.” He smiled at her expression.

It had been exactly as expected, “19” Vinda stressed, as though the number would speak for itself.

“My apologies.” The man bowed slightly, offering his arm to her, “An old maid then, what with no husband and no children to speak of.”

Vinda took the arm, no longer able to hold back a laugh, “How is everything progressing?” She asked as they walked through the streets.

The pair had been working together for a few years now. Vinda had had the honor of watching as Grindelwald’s following grew ever so slowly. Any doubt she may have had leaving her family behind now seemed foolish, not that they had come looking for her when she had never returned home, a fact she was glad of.

“Another failure.” Grindelwald shared in a hush, “We should be ready to move forward with the knowledge we have little support here.” He bit his lip, unsure of what he could do, what to say to gather people’s attention. To make them aware that things needed to change. If only he had proof of what was to come. But who would believe a seer. It was a trait he had kept hidden from all, ever since…

_Albus._

There was a silence between the pair as they both found their eyes drawn to a moon that had begun to rise higher in the sky before them, focusing their thoughts on what it meant for them both. For one the moon was an ever present only friend, a promise of companionship regardless of circumstance. And for the other, one of the only links now shared by a past lover.

It had been like this for some time.

City after city.

Yes, there were some who followed. Still most condemned the message outright, not seeing the need for change, not seeing the harm the muggles caused to their kind. And Vinda could not blame them, one of the only reasons she had been so taken with Grindelwald’s message had been…

Not wanting to think further on the topic, “Shall we get something to drink?” Vinda proposed, a remedy she had grown accustom to.

“And where would we get the money for that?” Came a reminder of their current financial state.

“How you must think of me. Though arguably not as good, cheap wine will have the same effect.” Vinda carried on, not taking note of the change in her companion’s demeanor, “We must find you a wealthy benefactor, one who has not left their family’s inheritance.”

“Did you not just say I was too old.”

“Men keep longer in society, you will easily find someone taken with your looks.”

But Grindelwald seemed to take no interest, “I would rather not.”

“So pure of heart.” Vinda cooed.

“And you?” He deflected the suggestion back to her, “Why don’t you seduce a poor unsuspecting noble’s daughter. Have her steal her f-”

On cue Vinda pulled from her pocket a small fabric purse, so full of notes that they peeked out, coins visibly weighed the fabric as it moved like a pendulum as she dangled it for the other to see, “And I will have you know that I did not ‘seduce’ her, there was no need as la moldue sought me out herself.”

“You are too wild. Do not underestimate the non-magic.” Grindelwald warned, shaking his head in disapproval, “They may be harmless on their own, but one day you will be on the opposite end of luck if you are discovered.”

“Says the man who would shout his message among a group de moldus without a care.” Gellert was serious in his mission, more determined than anyone she had ever met, but he also was mischievous as a child, a side that would peek through every now and again, “Is that not what you were doing when we first met.”

Though little by little she saw that impish side of him fade, feeling the growing difference in their age.

He had become warn for a man only in his early 30s, very much becoming a mentor to her as she navigated the world, “And that is why I have changed, I have learned how to minimize the risks.” Grindelwald informed, “I only hope you learn to gage when is the right time to act and speak. If only to stay safe.”

“And I do.” It stirred something within her, a lesson she had heard in the past, “But among with those I trust, those of like mind, I won’t hold back my thoughts.”

“Be careful who you trust.” He motioned to the contents of her hand, “That woman trusted you I would have to assume. What was the cost to her?” And he was not incorrect. Without prompt he added a piece Vinda had not been aware of, “Even among those we now work with, I do not trust them all.”

Vinda attempted to ignore the emotion those words brought to her. That the fact he would tell her this meant he must trust her, she would hope so, she trusted him… for if she didn’t, if they were to fail, “Now. Shall we drink?” She asked again, wanting now more than anything to be calmed.

“We will get coffee, as we did when we met.” Before Vinda had a chance to protest, Grindelwald continued, “I will not drink with you, Vinda.”

Vinda stood tall, feeling as though she need defend herself, “I _can_ drink”

“Oh I know you can.” He had seen her and it was quiet the impressive feat for someone of her stature, “But I have over a decade more practice at running away than you, and I can assure you that that path will bring you no comfort. It will take more and more to halt your worries until one day you will be poisoned, mind and body, feeling unable to escape either. And through it all, if you live, you wake to the same truths before you and all the more unprepared to fight them. It would be better to take your thoughts and memories from you by magic. I can do so if you wish, dispose of them.”

Vinda stopped abruptly, falling free from Grindelwald’s arm. He too stopped, turning to her, his eyes darted over her face. He knew full well she must have considered such a permanent remedy in the past, just as he had. But “If you wish to keep whatever it is in your mind, confront it and do all you can to manage it. Do not let them consume you. I want for you to learn this truth sooner than I did.”

“I don’t want to forget.” As she spoke she realized the contradiction. She had been doing all she could to forget, “My memories remind me why I am here, they act as a guide on what to do.” Vinda lowered her gaze, turning away from the older man. Wondering with morbid curiosity what nights he must have had before she had met him to have such insights, “I will not return home.” Her voice threatened, speaking a fear that was slowly growing stronger within her, something that had been plaguing her mind for over a year now, “And to assure that, I will work so that you do not fail. We will think of a strategy, a way they will hear you.”

With a renewed resolve Vinda looked up to meet the one she would follow, finding him with the most curious expression.

“Grindelwald?”

He looked to her, past her, as though she were a ghost. With lips trembling as though he were cold, he looked about ready to fall over.

Rushing to his side, Vinda tried to steady him. But instead of relaxing, instead of allowing the support, Grindelwald knocked her aside and away from him. Before falling back, Vinda saw a fear in his eyes the likes she had never seen on another.

Catching herself from the jarring motion, Vinda asked, calmly enough as to not draw attention to them, “What is it?” Now knowing full well something was amiss.

But no answer came, closing his eyes the man continued the fight inside his mind.

Vinda looked around. The streets were barren save for a few individuals in a hurry to be home. They were too caught up in their own world’s to notice as she took out her wand, taking calculated steps around them to place a simple barrier.

“I apologize, Vinda.”

A voice, low enough to be a whisper, came to her ears before she was finished with the spell, “What was that?” Vinda narrowed her eyes as she came back into his view, as though the act would be enough to see what it was he had hid from her, “What happened to you?”

And Grindelwald knew it was now time to tell a truth, a truth as payment to keep one he trusted by his side, “A vision.”

“Vision?” Vinda pieced together easily all she knew, “You are a seer then?”

Grindelwald waited for all that he knew often followed those words. Even the man whom he had trusted most, though perhaps misguidedly, the very one whom he had loved above all others had been slow to believe him.

Vinda crossed her arms, “And you would keep such a thing hidden from me until just now, why?” It looked as though she was holding herself back from swatting at him, either as payback for being pushed aside so roughly or disbelief of his foolishness, “We can use this. What did you see?” The new knowledge of her leader made Vinda hopeful. This was exactly what they had been looking for, a way for other’s to believe his message.

But for Grindelwald, he was still reeling from all he had seen, too much still lingered in the forefront of his mind to make any logical use of it. This particular vision had not been new, though he had not seen it in its full extent until now. And more worrisome still, the events were impending, “There will be many deaths to come. A great war with many nations fighting, all starting in Bosnia…” He seemed to drift once more, “In Russia-”

Vinda kept her distance, yet let her words reach out to him, “Stay focused with me.” Everyone knew tensions in the non-magical world were rising. Their stance had been ‘let the muggles fight their fights, let them destroy themselves’. Yet a war of this caliber, the wizarding world was sure to be pulled into the fray, “We can stop it, we can s-”

“We can’t.”

Vinda was taken aback by the absolute tone, “When?”

“Summer…June, sometime near the end of June next year.”

“Then there is still time.”

“You know well that I do not have enough followers.”

Vinda was sure that would change, “Because they do not know what you do.”

“They will not believe what I tell them.” Grindelwald shook his head, “Trust that I have tried.”

Vinda thought on this. It was true that most seers around the world were not looked upon with understanding let alone kindness, “If only there was a way to show them truly what you see.” She remembered the fear in the other’s eyes. Though she had never desired to be a seer, she wondered what he saw and wished she could see it too.

His mind now collected, Grindelwald saw something entirely different than a vision… a connection, a connection to a conversation they had just been having, “Memory.”

The single word seemed to click in place all he was thinking of, and Vinda understood, “A way to extract memory and share it.”

It was possible.

In fact, whatever was not possible, they would make it so.

Whatever failure that had been the start of their night had taken a turn.

Grindelwald had changed fate once before, and he hoped beyond hope this too could be avoided. If nothing else it would prove a wonderful experiment, a new way for him to win people’s minds.

**Author's Note:**

> Repost. The first version was deleted. This is going to be a challenge to keep it up since I still don't know how I feel about it X_X


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